With seniors Brooke Coelho, Pooja Patel, and Courtney Sharrah set to be honored prior to their final regular-season home match Sunday, the Chico State women's soccer team has reason to revel this weekend. Two good results would give them and their fans even more to celebrate.
The Wildcats, 8-5 overall and 4-4 in California Collegiate Athletic Association action, enter this weekend's matches against Cal State East Bay (Friday at 4:30) and Cal State Monterey Bay (Sunday at 11:30) hoping to add to their strong NCAA Championships resume and move up the conference standings and strengthen their CCAA Tournament hopes.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early Sunday to take part in the Senior Day ceremony, which will begin at approximately 11:15.
Coelho, Patel and Sharrah are all CCAA Academic Award winners, who have helped the program earn four straight United Soccer Coaches National Team Academic awards, and four University Foundation Board of Governors Awards for Academic Excellence in a row, as the department's women's team with the highest combined GPA.
They've been equally successful on the pitch, helping lead the Wildcats to a record of 44-22-6, including an amazing 28-4-2 at home. They are unbeaten in their last 11 matches at University Soccer Stadium, where they are 7-0 this season.
They'll attempt to continue that streak this weekend. Cal State East Bay enters Friday's match with a record of 4-10, including 1-7 in the CCAA. Cal State Monterey Bay is 5-6-3 overall and 2-5-1 in conference play.
CCAA Tournament Outlook
Chico State is currently seventh in the CCAA standings but has games in hand against many of the teams directly above. With two wins this weekend, the Wildcats would move into the table's top six, and could rise as high as second. The top six teams at the close of the regular season will advance to the CCAA Tournament. The winner of the CCAA Tournament earns an NCAA Tournament automatic bid.
NCAA Tournament Outlook
The first edition of the NCAA Regional Rankings were released on Wednesday and the Wildcats are ranked No. 4 in the West. Four matches remain on the Wildcats' regular-season schedule. The NCAA Championships field will be announced on Monday, Nov. 6, one day after the CCAA Tournament title match.
